Gifts given to our politicians take the biscuit

In a list contained in the register for members’ interests in Parliament, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his cabinet members disclosed some of the gifts they received last year. File picture: GCIS

Parliament - From expensive wines to cognac and traditional Zulu spears and cows - this is what some of our politicians have received from various people across the world and locally.

In a list contained in the register for members’ interests in Parliament, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his cabinet members disclosed some of the gifts they received last year.

As expected, Ramaphosa had a large number of gifts, from a sculpture of the sable antelope to books, wine and traditional Xhosa regalia.

Maybe Ramaphosa can give out his cigar, given to him by the Deputy President of Cuba, Salvador Valdés Mesa, to DA chief whip John Steenhuisen after he promised him some cigars in Parliament three weeks ago.

The ANC in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, gave Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba a Zulu spear and shield.

But Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mcebisi Skwatsha received a bull, worth R8 000, from Herschel Independent Consultants.

The chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Thandi Modise, got a box of porcelain dancing dolls from the Speaker of Lok Sabha in India.

Another member of cabinet who received a gift she would need to keep for some time to come was Nomaindia Mfeketo, who received a book on yoga.

The minister received the book from an Indian politician.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane was given a pair of sneakers last year by his late colleague, Elza van Lingen. The sneakers were worth R480.

ACDP leader, the Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, received a pair of socks from his son, worth R250, and a pair of shoes from his daughter to the value of R1200.

Meshoe’s wife also gave him a ring of R12 500 for their anniversary and a suit worth R15000.

The Chinese embassy gave Deputy Minister of Public Works Jeremy Cronin a box of biscuits worth R400.

However, his colleague in the cabinet, Sindi Chikunga, who is the deputy minister of transport, was given nuts, to the value of R1500, by the Road Accident Fund.

However, this was not the end of it for Chikunga as the Road Traffic Management Corporation gave her a reflector jacket worth R250 and a R100 torch.

uMgezi High School and the Apostolic Faith Mission each gave Chikunga a food tray.

Edna Molewa, the Minister of Environmental Affairs, was given mooncakes by a Chinese diplomat and a peacock ornament by the Indian minister of environment.

Both of the gifts were worth R400.

Molewa was also given a picture frame of a baby elephant bathing by a minister from Sri Lanka.

The German Minister of Environment gave her a fragment of the Berlin Wall.